MORE than 100 residents packed out a public meeting calling for an end to the “parking chaos” caused by car-owning students at Warwick University.

The Telegraph reported recently how people in Cannon Park and Canley had complained to Coventry City Council that they struggled to park outside their homes and that roads were being made dangerous by students parking illegally.

At a ward forum meeting at Cannon Park Primary School this week, council officials promised residents they were looking for a solution.

The problem arose after the university increased parking charges as part of a green initiative to deter students driving on to campus. It is encouraging car sharing and plans to improve the bus service.

Residents say the increased charges are forcing students to park elsewhere, usually in residential areas within walking distance of the campus.

One woman said students had even resorted to parking on her drive.

She said: “When I ask what they’re doing, I’m made to feel it’s my fault that they have got nowhere to park their cars.

“If I want to get out of my garage someone has to stand out on the road so I can get out safely.

“They don’t just park for one day, there has a car that has been there since Sunday. Cars park there for two or three weeks.”

Paul Boulton, the council’s highways manager, said: “We want to work with residents.

“This is the first stage in a consultation process and I want to find a holistic, not piecemeal, solution that fits the parking issue.”

He suggested that single yellow lines restricting times when cars could park on the street would be the best solution, although it would also limit residents.

But residents believe it is Warwick University’s responsibility to sort out the issue.

One man told university representatives: “Yellow lines are not going to help the issue.”

He said that the root cause of the problem was students not being able to park on campus due to the increase in parking charges.

All homes in the area will receive letters explaining how they would be affected by the single yellow lines.